1 In the beginning of the reign of 1Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, thiswordcame from the LORD, saying,
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"Thussays the LORD, '2Stand in the court of the LORD'Shouse, and speak to all the cities of Judah who have 3come to worship in the LORD'Shouse4all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them. 5Do not omit a word!
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'6Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evilway, that 7I may repent of the calamitywhich I am planning to do to them because* of the evil of their deeds.'
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"And you will say to them, 'Thussays the LORD, "8If you will not listen to Me, to 9walk in My lawwhich I have setbefore you,
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to listen to the words of 10My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you again and again, but you have not listened;
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then I will makethishouse like 11Shiloh, and thiscity I will make a 12curse to all the nations of the earth.""'
A Plot to Murder Jeremiah
7 The 13priests and the prophets and all the peopleheardJeremiahspeakingthesewords in the house of the LORD.
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When Jeremiahfinishedspeakingall that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the peopleseized him, saying, "14You mustdie!
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"Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORDsaying, 'Thishouse will be like Shiloh and thiscity will be 15desolate, withoutinhabitant '?" And 16all the peoplegatheredaboutJeremiah in the house of the LORD.
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When the 17officials of Judahheardthesethings, they came up from the king'shouse to the house of the LORD and sat in the 18entrance of the NewGate of the LORD'S house.
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Then the priests and the prophets19spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, "A 20deathsentence for thisman! For he has prophesied21againstthiscity as you have heard in your hearing."
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Then Jeremiahspoke to all the officials and to all the people, saying, "22The LORDsent me to prophesyagainstthishouse and againstthiscityall the words that you have heard.
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"Now therefore 23amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will change His mindabout the misfortunewhich He has pronouncedagainst you.
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"But as for me, behold, 24I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight.
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"Onlyknow for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring25innocentblood on yourselves, and on thiscity and on its inhabitants; for truly the LORD has sent me to you to speakallthesewords in your hearing."
Jeremiah Is Spared
16 Then the officials and all the people26said to the priests and to the prophets, "No27deathsentence for thisman! For he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God."
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Then 28some of the elders of the landrose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying,
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"29Micah of Moreshethprophesied in the days of Hezekiahking of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, 'Thus the LORD of hosts has said, "30Zion will be plowed as a field, And Jerusalem will becomeruins, And the 31mountain of the house as the highplaces of a forest."'
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"Did Hezekiahking of Judah and allJudahput him to death? Did he not 32fear the LORD and entreat the favor of the LORD, and 33the LORDchanged His mindabout the misfortunewhich He had pronouncedagainst them? But we are 34committing a greatevilagainstourselves."
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Indeed, there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from 35Kiriath-jearim; and he prophesiedagainstthiscity and againstthislandwords similar to all those of Jeremiah.
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When KingJehoiakim and all his mightymen and all the officialsheard his words, then the 36kingsought to put him to death; but Uriahheard it, and he was afraid and 37fled and went to Egypt.
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Then KingJehoiakimsentmen to Egypt: 38Elnathan the son of Achbor and certain men with him went into Egypt.
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And they broughtUriah from Egypt and led him to KingJehoiakim, who 39slew him with a sword and cast his deadbody into the burialplace of the commonpeople.
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But the hand of 40Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that he was 41not given into the hands of the people to put him to death.